Mine-car coupling.



W. TOWERS.

MINE CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1914.

l 1 50,980. Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET coLuMm/A PLANOG c.

W. TOWERS.

MINE CAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED MAY27. 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM TOWERS, 0F CHRISTOPHER, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF FORTY-FIVE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO ROY LOCKRIDGE, OF CHRISTOPHER, ILLINOIS.

MINE-CAR COUPLING.

Application iled May 27, 1914.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM Townns, a citizenof the United States, residing at Christopher, in the county of Franklinand State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inMine- Car Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to couplers, and more particularly to the class ofmine car couplers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a car coupler ofthis character wherein two cars may be automatically coupled while inmotion without the aid of any person to adjust the same, therebyobviating any possibility of injury to a person, as the necessity ofstepping between the cars for the coupling thereof is obviated.

Another object `of the invention is thek provision of a coupler of thischaracter wherein the male and female members of the coupler serve asbuffers to obviate undue shocks and jars to the cars incident to thecoupling thereof, which is automatically eected on the approach of thecars toward each other.

A further object of the invention is the provision ofr a coupler of thischaracter wherein the male and female coupling members are of novel formand are supported upon each car in a novel manner.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a coupler ofthis character which is simple in construction, reliable and efficientin use, strong, durable, and inexensive in manufacture. j

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of adjoiningcars, showing the coupler constructed in accordance with the inventionapplied and the cars coupled together. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe coupler. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the coupler.Fig. 4; is'

a perspective view of the coupling pin. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalview through the truck frames of the cars and coupler. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the male coupling member. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of the female coupling member. Fig. 8 is a specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aue'. 24, 1915.

Serial No. 841,329.

vertical transverse sectional view through the female coupling member,showing an ele- Jyation of the coupling pin in locking posiion.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings lin detail, A and B designate portions ofadjoining mine cars, andl C and D respective male and female members ofthe coupling between the cars, the said coupling being hereinafter fullydescribed.

At each end of the truck frames of the cars are the usual cross holsters10, between which work the male and female members C and D which arerespectively located at opposite ends of each car centrally of its truckframe.

The male member' C of the coupling comprises a solid head 11 which isformed with a draw bar 12 provided with a vertical elongated slot 13through which is passed the king bolt 14 mounted in the holsters 10.Surrounding the draw bar 12 at opposite sides of the king bolt 14 arecoiled compression springs 15, one of which bears against the head 11,while its opposite end works against a washer 16 neXt to the king bolt14, while the other spring has one end working against a substantiallyU-shaped yoke 17, the ends of which are bolted or otherwise fixed to thehead 11 of the male member, while the opposite end of the said lastnamedspring works against a washer 18 next to the king bolt 14, and thesesprings serve to absorb shocks and jars incident to the coupling ofthemale member with the female member of the coupling in a mannerpresently described.

IThe head 11 of the male member C of the coupling is formed with atongue 19 formed in opposite edges with directly opposed notches 2() andwith a spear-shaped tip 21, the said tongue being adapted to enter thefemale member D of the coupling for the joining of the same in a mannerpresently described.

The female member D of the coupling comprises a socketed head 22, thesocket therein being adapted to receive the tongue 19 on the head of themale member, and this head 22 is further formed with a draw bar 23provided with a vertical elongated slot 24 through which is passed theking bolt 25,

the same being engaged in the cross bolsters 10 of the truck frame ofthe car. Surrounding the draw bar 23 are coiled compression springs 26,the ends thereof next to the bolt being designed to work against washers27, while the opposite ends work against the respective head 22 and thesubstantially U- shaped yoke 28 having its ends fixed to the said head22, the springs being designed to absorb shocks and jars incident to thecoupling of the cars together. that by the particular mounting of thedraw bars of the male and female members C and D of the coupling thesame are free for swinging movement to permit the coupled cars to takesharp or wide curves in the track and to allow for lateral thrust of thecars during their travel.

In the head 22 of the female member D are formed openings 29 in the topand bottom walls thereof to receive a coupling pin E, Which comprises aforked member 30, the limbs of the fork being adapted to pass throughthe openings 29 in the headl 22 to engage in the notches 20 in thetongue 19 at opposite sides thereof, the inner sides of the limbs of thefork 30 being formed with beveledshoulders 31 which are adapted toengage with the spear-shaped tip 21 to lock the tongue in the socket inthe head 22 of the female member so that the male member will be joinedthereto. rIhe forked member 30 has a central bifurcated portion 32 whichreceives the web between the openings 29 in the top upper wall of thehead 22, so that when the male and female members C and D are uncoupledand the cars are brought together, on the entrance of the tongue 19 inthe socket in the head 22 the spear tip 21 will engage the shoulders 31of the pin E for lifting the same so that it will automatically lockwith the tongue 19 for the uniting of the male and female members of thecoupler. lVhen the pin E is raised the limbs of the fork 30 thereof willpermit the passing of the spear-tip 21 therebetween so that on theloweringof the pin by its It will be noted own weight the shoulderportions l31 will engage the notches 2() in the tongue 19 to firmly lockit within the socket in the Ahead 22 of the female member of thecoupling.

The heads 11 and 22 of the members of the coupler at their top areformed with external enlarged portions 33 which form stops to engage thecross holsters 10 to limit the inward movement of each member of thecoupler when the cars move toward each other during the act of couplingthe same together, and thus relieving undue strain lon the springsabsorbing the shocks and jars incident to the coupling of the cars.

The pin E can be raised in any suitable manner when it is desired touncouple the cars. f

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner ofoperation of the device will be clearly understood, andtherefore a moreextended explanation has'been omitted.

t What is claimed is z'- A coupling comprising a` pair ofI heads havingfiat faces adapted for contact .with each other, one of the heads beingformed with a recess having an inwardly tapered inner end, a spearshaped vtipkhaving a shank l75 vwiLLnuvi Towians. j Witnesses yROYLOCKRIDGE, GHAS. P; LUKE. n

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

